One of the first things we forget when we see our favorite famous people is that they’re just that— people. They’re normal people who happen to be on a societally-agreed-upon pedestal. In fact, that societally-agreed upon pedestal is agreed upon (in part) by you.
As long as we as a community call other people famous, they will continue to have that pedestal. So if you’re ever wondering why they’re famous in the first place, think back to all the movies you enjoy that feature those very same people. Think about how you’ve attributed only good things to people you've literally never met (AKA strangers). Don’t get me wrong… I’ve done it too. It’s normal and human, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
{getToc} $title={Table of Contents}
They (Usually) Lack Expertise
The problem that comes from famous people speaking on subjects they’re not well-versed in isn’t the human aspect of it. It’s that we tend to take their inexperienced words as fact. Normally, we would be hesitant to believe what people tell us. But I mean, it’s a famous person. We’re human… so we all have human Achilles heels.
There’s a real reason for this if you’re willing to get technical about it. There’s a little persuasion technique called Ethos (Thank you, 9th grade English class!). This is when you’re presented with a figure that has high authority or status.
Their status gives us a sense of comfort and trust, so we’re usually a bit more willing to believe what they say. This happens especially in advertising. Think about literally any Super Bowl ad you’ve seen. Need I say more?
They (Sometimes) Have Financial Motivations
Let’s say you’re watching one of your favorite famous people advertise a product to you. Guess what? They were most likely paid to advertise that product to you. And I’m sure that, if you were them, you’d say all the positive things about the product you could to please the person paying you. That’s normal.
The problem only comes in when you don’t do your own research simply because you trust that famous person. It’s easy to forget that the person in the advertisement is getting paid to advertise. So I’m here to remind you that they absolutely (most likely) are.
You Still Have Social Responsibilities
Remember when I said that famous people are famous because we allow them to be? Well, that wasn’t me trying to disrespect them or anything. In fact, I quite like (some) famous people. However, just because we like them doesn’t mean we can trust what they say all the time. There comes a time when you can’t blame famous people for being human and making their money when they can.
You have a duty (to yourself and others) to take accountability for what you believe. It can’t just be because someone told you so anymore (unfortunately). You could’ve decided to live in ignorance before you read this article. Unfortunately for you, though, you’ve made it all the way here.
To prevent only listening to your favorite famous people, I recommend that you do your own research. That applies both to products and real-world issues. In general, make a point to always do your own research. That means doing what your teachers were telling you to do. Hopefully, you weren’t the kid who was always asleep during class. I won’t get into it, though, because I don’t think I could ever bore someone like that on purpose.
Just Don’t Listen To Celebrities
All in all, relying on famous people to provide you with important information isn’t a good move. Don’t get me wrong, famous people are great. It’s just that the culture surrounding them can get a bit hectic and combining that with real-world information is just a recipe for disaster.
So, by all means, continue to appreciate your favorite famous people. After all, they can be pretty impressive in some ways. Just remember that, at the end of the day, they’re most likely just doing their job or lack the expertise to speak on some important topics. It’s also pertinent that you do your own research after hearing what they have to say… just in case.
Oh, and if you haven’t heard this enough I’ll go ahead and say it again. Everybody may not like me but they have no choice but to love me because I’ll always be there for them and accept them for who they are. Now go outside… my blog will still be here.